jyu1 si6 mou4 bou2於事無補于事无补
Jyutpingjyu1 si6 mou4 bou2
Yaleyū sih mòuh bóu
Definition
Futile; of no help to the matter, such that whatever one does will not change the outcome.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Carries a formal and slightly literary tone despite being used in everyday speech to describe situations where effort is wasted. It often appears in contexts where someone is dwelling on past mistakes or trying to fix something that is already beyond repair. Using it adds a sense of finality or resignation to the speaker's assessment of a situation.
Examples
Crying now is futile, better think about how to solve it.
Everything he did was to no avail, it is really helpless.
Related words
Common phrases
completely futile
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it as a direct translation for useless or broken, but it specifically refers to the futility of an action or effort in changing a fixed outcome rather than the quality of an object.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
